Match Reports Archive 1ST XI 2008

BREDBURY 1ST XI VS MARPLE 19/04/08

The saints travelled to newly promoted Marple for the season opener. During the summer transfer window Bedbury have not brought in an overseas player just yet, however Dan Wigley was brought in from Hazel Grove.
As Bredbury arrived at the ground they were pleasantly surprised by the green outfield and good looking track. Under closer inspection the outfield was a bit soft and the wicket low and slow, but given the recent weather Marple did a good job of preparing a decent track.
The two skippers exchanged pleasantries and sure enough the toss was lost and the saints were asked to bat. D.Carr and Leesy were sent out as the saints watched from the Marple balcony. Leesy started off in typical fashion sending his first two to balls to the fence for 4 before getting a top edge off a pull shot and was caught at fine leg. Legs strode out at three but then strode back as he was judged to have been caught behind. At 13-2 the good start the saints were looking for had obviously eluded them. Woody and D.Carr offered some resistance and brought the scores to 51-2 off 21overs.
Whilst watching the match the Bredbury lads saw Sullyman’s car driving out of the ground as he and Barley made a pit stop for some food. I should explain that before the match in the changing rooms Bredbury had decided upon the re-introduction of fines, and a fines committee being elected. Leaving the ground without the captain’s permission can only be described as a school boy’s error! And a fine was quickly enforced. Keys seemed to decide he didn’t want to be left out of the fines as his bat fell from the Marple balcony bounced on the concrete and landed just outside the boundary.
It wasn’t long before D.Carr brought up his 50 playing good quality shots receiving a warm applause before falling on 69, Woody fell next for a gritty 24. Sandsy was next to make a good contribution to the score with his 29 getting his eye in fist then playing aggressively in the final few overs.
At tea Bredbury had posted 167-7 which seemed acceptable if not quite the score Bredbury were looking for. Marple offered us another pleasant surprise in the form of the teas which included sausages and chicken drumsticks, easily the best teas of the season so far!
After tea Bredbury looked at the weather conditions and followed Tango and D.Carrs example in wearing three and four jumpers respectively whilst some of us were left with only t-shirts on!
Sullyman was given the new ball and started by offering the Marple batsmen two full bungers to start the innings, thankfully Sully saw the error of his ways and then beat the bat with his next delivery using the angle achieved from a left arm over bowler to a right handed batsmen. Sully then settled into this line and length bowling very tightly and picking up two wickets in his first spell. Wickets did not fall quickly but steadily as Marple fell to 30-5, with Nutt’s, Woody and Legs each picking up a wicket. Barley and new boy Dan Wigley or Wiggers were given the ball. Barley started off well enjoying plenty of grip from the track and picking up a wicket. After a nervous first over Dan settled into a nagging line and length from a batsmen’s point of view and picked up his first wicket for the saints. Marple finished around 20 runs short leaving the saints with 10 points. Credit must be given to a young number 5 who frustrated the Bredbury attack and finished on 71 not out.
Next week the saints will entertain Grappenhall at the BCG looking for the first win of the season.

BREDBURY 1ST XI VS GRAPPENHALL 26/04/08

Bredbury entertained Grappenhall in the first home match of the season. After a solid but frustrating match last week the saints were keen to make amends.
As per usual Woody lost the toss and Bredbury were inserted on a slightly damp track. Gippo and Leesy opened up just as last week and the saints got off to a remarkably similar start Leesy hit a couple of boundaries in his first over and then just as last week top edged a pull shot that went straight down fine legs throat, luckily for Leesy however the fielder was not the same as last week and the catch was dropped. Leesy continued to try and score whenever possible but this proved tricky on the wicket as he skied a straight drive that was again dropped. The two openers looked to make Grappenhall pay for the dropped catches, unfortunately just as Leesy and Gippo seemed to be settling down into a good rhythm a good diving stop at gully led to a mix up and Leesy run out for 30. Leggo was summoned next but found the going tough as balls would pop up off a length or shoot through without warning, whilst Leggo was concentrating on the pitch Gippo seemed to develop a hip injury which worsened as Gippo remarkably hit a six and then fell to a knee in pain as if he was about to be knighted. Some deep heat spray allowed Gippo to move more freely only to fall for a hard fought 25. Leggo fell next in his high teens leaving the saints 100-3. Woody and Keys consolidated for a few overs before trying to push the score along. This was easier said than done however as the ball stopped on the very slow pitch. Woody seemed to be coping with conditions the better of the two finding the boundary wherever possible. Just as Woody seemed to be getting into his stride he dollied a full toss to a short mid wicket for a gritty 34. Sandsy was the net man in but fell for 2 as he was caught and bowled quite brilliantly, meanwhile Keys tried to keep the score ticking along. Tinker came in at 7 but was again well caught and bowled as he hit a sweetly timed straight drive straight back to the bowler. At the end of the 50 overs Bredbury struggled to 168-7 with Keys 36 not out and Nutt’s 1 not out.
After a discussion in the changing rooms Woody and Sully decided to swap end’s and give Sullyman a chance to come down the hill, a decision that would turn out to be entirely justified! Sullyman took the first over and dismissed one Grappenhall opener with his second ball. Both Woody and Sully enjoyed some indifferent bounce as they each found green patches just back of a length. It has to be said that Sully’s line and length was excellent as he took wicket after wicket claiming 5 in his first mammoth spell of 14 overs. At the other end Woody bowled equally well in his spell of 13 overs but was left frustrated as balls continually went passed the outside edge. Woody bowled maiden after maiden and really worked hard for his 2 wickets. Leggo took over from Chris and enjoyed even more bounce from his superior height and soon took a wicket with a ball angled in at the batsmen that Tango eagerly took under the helmet. At 59-8 the game seemed as good as over but a spirited partnership took the scores to 119-8. Thankfully Barley broke the partnership leaving Sully to claim the last wicket with only 3 overs to go securing the win. Credit must be given to Sully as he deservedly claimed his best figures for the saints of 6-29.

BREDBURY 1ST XI VS IRBY 04/05/08

The saints made the long trip up the M53 to Irby this weekend, the two skippers did what they do best ‘lie about last week’ and finally tossed up, At last Woody won the toss on a wicket that looked good given the weather recently, It has to be said that Irby’s track is usually a road but this week it was a road with a lowish bounce although Irby did a good job of preparing a decent track regardless of what time of year it was. Rips was brought in instead of Leesy and took on the unfortunate responsibility of opening with Gippo (If anyone knows how to spell his knick name Carey? please tell me as this would make my job so much easier). Rips was under instructions to play his natural game and basically put away the bad ball but fell for less than 10. Leggo eagerly strode out next but it was not long before he was caught behind for 4. Adi was given the privilege of the number four spot and seemed to be very relaxed at the crease, with Gippo and Adi at the crease the language barrier must have been a problem as Gippo rather uncharicteristcally charged down the pitch and drove the ball straight to short cover. Woody resumed his more natural number five spot and brought out his long practised sweep shot wherever possible (ok maybe a nurdle off the legs as his dodgy knee would not allow a sweep shot). Adi fell next for a hard worked 19 but not enough unfortunately for him not enough to escape from a fine for scoring less than 20 in the top six. Keys was summoned next and tried to play shots but it soon became obvious that this was a slow and low pitch and every run would be hard worked for. Woody fell as he tried to push the score along for anther gritty 34. Sanos fell next for 7 including a effortless 6 off that quality piece of willow he holds. Keys was excellently bowled by a leg spinner that pitched outside leg yet clipped his off stump (ok maybe slightly biased) in the late teens. With Tinker and Sullyman at the crease Bredbury had no option but to bat the full 55 overs. Tinker Batted well but fell late on for 10. Sullyman meanwhile scored more runs than the whole of last season with his 15 including his first maximum for the saints. To put it bluntly the saints limped to a very disappointing 141 all out.
After a tea that was worthy of the one hour drive which included pizza, sausages and home baked cakes Bredbury looked to strike early and put Irby on the back foot and strike we did!
After a kiss on Keys’s lucky head from the office (the newly shaved and visible one to all those with a dirty mind!). Woody took a wicket with only his second ball that dropped into Keys eagerly waiting gloves. Sully bowled well but was unlucky to go wicket less. Adi replaced Sully and set about mixing his balls up that confused our wicketkeeper, never mind the opposition batsmen, the delivery from 25 yards was a particular favourite!!! Woody meanwhile kept plugging away at his end and finished with figures of 2-14 off his opening spell off 13 overs (a very effective partnership of Adi and Woody from my point of view at least). Nutt’s was the next bowler to make a effective contribution with his usual (quite frankly quality) in-swingers and picking up his first notable wickets of the season and figures off 3-18, however the pick of the bowlers must be Adi with 3-49 off his 17 overs, his variation was what could be described as a breath of fresh air kept opposition batsmen cautious and unsure in what was next to come out of his hand!
Irby finished on 113-9 after their 45 overs in which (although very early season) turned out to be a far from exhilarating top of table clash.